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When a mechanic damages your bike

I took my bike into a dealer to replace the cracked rubber boots on the drive shaft and final drive that were covered under warranty. When I got home I noticed there was small noticeable ding (through the paint and into the metal) on the top of the final drive. Then I remembered when I peeked into the service area to see if my bike was on the lift, the mechanic dropped the final drive and it swung on the bottom hinge and it hit a jack, and he cussed. I didn't think anything about it until I saw the damage a few days later. I called the dealer and he said to bring the bike by to see what he can do.

I haven't had time to swing by the dealer yet and I'm sure they'll do the right thing, but this kind of stuff puts me into an uncomfortable spot. Am I being petty? I don't want to ruin my relationship with my dealer, yet they are at fault. Is he going to replace my whole final drive costing him about $1000, just for a ding?

We all make mistakes; as such, I think you need to give the dealer a chance to make it right.

On a side note, but similar theme. I take my Bimmer to an independent repair shop, which likes to replace the license plate frames with ones that advertise their shop (instead of the dealer). Well they scratched a part of my car getting the new license plate frame on. My car's about 13 years old, so I thought they were going to fight me on this one. But, to my surprise after taking a quick look, they sent the part off to be re-painted.

As to inspecting your bike (or car) after service is a good idea. Unfortunately, the system is set up against you, since they don't bring your vehicle around til after you pay.

Own Up

The disappointing thing is that the mechanic must have seen the dammage from the drop and did not own up to it. Now you are put in the uncomfortable position of having to confront THEM rather than their presenting the issue along with an appology and some compensation.

When Voni's RS was fairly new, she was out west and it needed something - I forget, tire maybe. The mechanic semi-dropped the bike rolling it off the lift. I say semi-dropped because he stuck his body under it to keep shiny parts off hard surfaces. Brave soul!

Anyway - it got a scratch on the hard bag on that side. He showed Voni and she just said, "Let's put a sticker over it." She got her choice of all the stickers he could find. I think it's her "Quitters never win. Winners never quit" sticker, if I recall correctly.

Paul Glaves - "Big Bend", Texas U.S.A
"The greatest challenge to any thinker is stating the problem in a way that will allow a solution." - Bertrand Russellhttp://web.bigbend.net/~glaves/

The disappointing thing is that the mechanic must have seen the damage from the drop and did not own up to it. Now you are put in the uncomfortable position of having to confront THEM rather than their presenting the issue along with an apology and some compensation.

I don't know if a new final drive is doable for a nick in the paint????? If the bike is a trailer queen I would ask for the final drive to be painted. If it a rider, then I would probably touch up the nick and try to settle on a couple of free oil changes or a valve set. Bikes that are ridden are going to get nicked. I do like to put the 1st nick on myself.

FWIW, I would make sure there is no "damage of substance." Here is why I say that.

Lubing the final drive splines on my first BMW (K100) I "dropped the drive and caught it" just as the drain plug tapped the concrete of the carport. It was not a full impact landing, but the jolt was just enough to create an almost invisible, but nonetheless leaky crack in the casing. It showed up as an occasional drip that landed on the sidewall when the bike was parked on the side stand.

I eventually replaced the final drive -- tried to find an RS unit but ended up with another stock drive. I think it was a 32/11 or something like that.

Anyway, my point is to encourage making sure you do not have any damage beyond the cosmetic issue with the paint. The way I see it paint will eventually get chipped as normal wear and tear if you ride a lot and in varied conditions. But a crack can lead to expensive mechanical failure, which in some instances could also become a safety issue.

Whether or not you want to fight over the paint chip is your call. Personally, were I in your place I would be disappointed at the course of events, but for something as out of sight as what you seem to be describing, I doubt I would make it a hill to die on.

Just MHO

Last edited by basketcase; 10-09-2009 at 11:40 PM.

'98 BMW Z3 Roadster, '00 R1100RT

If you insist on exercising a right to burn our flag, first be so kind as to wrap yourself in it and then douse yourself with gasoline just before you strike the match.

Yes. Once, the final drive gears on the RS turned to crinkly in the middle of the Nevada desert. The mech had, a thousand miles previously, drained the oil and neglected to refill. The shop paid for a new rear end and a very expensive tow - not happily, I'm sure, but with good grace. I continued to patronize them.

The disappointing thing is that the mechanic must have seen the dammage from the drop and did not own up to it. Now you are put in the uncomfortable position of having to confront THEM rather than their presenting the issue along with an appology and some compensation.

Charles

I agree with this post. The mechanic should have made mention of the damage. Personally, I probably would bring it up to the dealer, in a non confrontational way. How I dealt with it after that would depend on the dealer's response.